Should attaining big names in Free Agency come with some sort of stigma?

The New England Patriots are driven by developing their own talent. They drafted Brady, Gronk, Hernandez, Spikes, Mayo, Wilfork, the offensive line, etc. They've taken undrafted free agents that other teams thought were worthless (like Woodhead, Welker, etc) and made them successful.

This is why the Patriots under Kraft and Belichick are so successful, like teams like them.
Year after year after year after year of contending for Superbowls.

Contrast this with the Jets who tried to buy themselves two Superbowl rings, completely sacrificing their future for a present that is now the past. The Jets went to two back to back AFC Championships on the power of free agency. Now they're destroyed, in shambles, with so huge a salary cap problem still anchored to them because of that run that they're only responsible option is to trade Revis and all their names for draft picks and accepting the fact they're finished in the division for a decade.

Teams that dump huge amounts of money into free agency, signing aging, already established stars with blockbuster contracts, try to buy themselves out of irrelevancy but find themselves relegated back to it the moment their stars drop off and they have no future and no cap space.

These teams (Jets, Broncos, etc) are just filler teams to mix the seasons up while the real teams (Patriots, Packers, Steelers, Giants etc) rule the league with consistency.

It's one thing to plug holes with free agency, but selling your team identity for one Superbowl run at the expense of the future is pathetic. About as pathetic as Bronco fans latching on to the Colts legacy like parasites. The nationwide support for Tebow and the Broncos of 2011 was organic. The team had an identity.

Now it's just the `Peyton Manning in orange` team.

Signing big names in free agency should come with a stigma. It should be considered lowly.
It should automatically mean your coach is awful and your organization is bush league and your fan base is desperate and shameless, willing to pay any mercenary to wear their worthless jersey and help them get a meaningless win they should realistically take no pride in.

steelfury02

01-03-2013, 02:19 PM

I hate your team, but I respect the hell out of the Patriot Way - except for that whole taping business:rofl:

in all seriousness - I agree with you - the teams who are consistently, over a long period of time, in it to win it all - do not make free agency their bread and butter. More often than not - the teams that contend get a low to mid-level name and plug a hole. Those guys tend to contribute more towards huge wins than the names, ala Randle El, Cedick Wilson, and Najeh Davenport and your man Woodhead - who really always seems to shock the hell out of me.

How many times have I seen Woodhead in open space, with no one around him - it is mind boggling how he gets "lost" much like Ray Rice does actually, and then makes the D pay.

GMU Steeler

01-03-2013, 02:29 PM

Can't believe I'm going to agree with a Patriots fan. I jest obviously because you do raise some good points here. Anyhow, maybe stigma's not the word or what I'd do but I'll put it to you this way, I do respect the teams that build from within more than teams that go the big name FA route. It's why I actually dislike the local Redskins. They're not as bad as they used to be but man oh man was it annoying watching Snyder just get other teams' big names. Though I shouldn't complain because the stupid contract they gave Adam Archuletta made Ryan Clark expendible for them and Ryan's been a very good free safety for us and Arch's been out of the league for a few years now. Plus I think teams that from the ground up are more fun to watch anyhow. It's more fun to watch players come into the league together and stuff. I'm okay with using FA to plug the occasional hole but I think it's lame to use it as a means of building your team. And I have to admit while I intensely dislike your team, you do build your team the right way and that is admirable*
*Though not enough to make me even think to root for you in a playoff game ever, though I'm sure the feeling is mutual

The_Joker

01-03-2013, 02:38 PM

Unlike the above poster, I like the local Redskins. RG3, Morris, Orakpo, Kerrigan, all these guys are developed stars.

steelfury02

01-03-2013, 02:41 PM

Unlike the above poster, I like the local Redskins. RG3, Morris, Orakpo, Kerrigan, all these guys are developed stars.

He did mention that they aren't doing the FA thing as much - I agree with you - seems like maybe Snyder is starting to get it just a little - and VOILA - division and home playoff game! Imagine that!

mikegrimey

01-03-2013, 05:48 PM

I agree w the spirit of this post but find the shots at the broncos (amplified by praise for the Tebow days) goofy, trying to get Peyton Manning in FA is perfectly reasonable, they were atrocious at the position, and got the best FA QB to be on the market in forever probably (Montana possibly?) without the manning signing do u fink the broncos would be legit Super Bowl contenders? This year, next year or the ear after that?

Cherinko

01-03-2013, 05:56 PM

It looks like you're really worried about Denver..

SteelersCanada

01-03-2013, 06:02 PM

Sweet Jesus, am I about to agree with a Patriots fan?

You're right, though. The Eagles are going to be in the bottom of the league for a while, too, after they tried to buy a Lombardi and went 8-8. Other teams need to realize that this isn't baseball and you can't buy championships like the Yankees have been so successful in doing.

harrison'samonster

01-03-2013, 06:13 PM

I also agree with the spirit of the post like Mikegrimey. I love it that the Steelers are always building from within, it's something to be proud of. However, if a team has to go out and sign a big FA, it's what has to be done. Denver this year is a perfect example. They have a really good team and they were only lacking at one position.

VaDave

01-03-2013, 07:02 PM

There is nothing inherently wrong with picking up a Free Agent. We've hit of few really good ones over the years that didn't break the bank, like the Bus, James Farrior, Jeff Hartings to name a few. What is wrong with FA is $100 Million for loads like Albert Haynesworth.

lloydwoodson

01-03-2013, 07:08 PM

This is a dumb post. Stop agreeing with it.

Patriots have had more significant FA than any other team I can think of and they traded for Welker and Moss.

There are some LEGENDARY players in there. Many of them past their prime but some weren't. In my mind the Patriots are the most active FA team in the NFL outside of the Redskins and Cowboys.

I'm not sure how you can pull the "Patriot Way" card here. You have had as many high-profile free agents as anyone.

Ryan Clark, Jerome Bettis, James Farrior, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Kevin Greene etc. have been vital to the Steelers success over the years. It is hard enough to win without trying to win a certain way.

Get off your soapboxes you idiots!

kent

01-03-2013, 07:15 PM

There is nothing inherently wrong with picking up a Free Agent. We've hit of few really good ones over the years that didn't break the bank, like the Bus, James Farrior, Jeff Hartings to name a few. What is wrong with FA is $100 Million for loads like Albert Haynesworth.

I believe we traded for Bettis. I agree with you though, no need to get the huge money star when you get multiple players for the same amount of money.

harrison'samonster

01-03-2013, 07:25 PM

This is a dumb post. Stop agreeing with it.

Patriots have had more significant FA than any other team I can think of and they traded for Welker and Moss.

There are some LEGENDARY players in there. Many of them past their prime but some weren't. In my mind the Patriots are the most active FA team in the NFL outside of the Redskins and Cowboys.

I'm not sure how you can pull the "Patriot Way" card here. You have had as many high-profile free agents as anyone.

Ryan Clark, Jerome Bettis, James Farrior, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Kevin Greene etc. have been vital to the Steelers success over the years. It is hard enough to win without trying to win a certain way.

Get off your soapboxes you idiots!

I don't follow the Pats. I was talking about the Steelers, who are known for building from within more than acquiring free agents to find success. I think that's something to be proud of as a Steelers fan.

lloydwoodson

01-03-2013, 09:12 PM

I don't follow the Pats. I was talking about the Steelers, who are known for building from within more than acquiring free agents to find success. I think that's something to be proud of as a Steelers fan.

I am just as proud of Ryan Clark as I am of Troy Polamalu.

I personally wish the Steelers made more of a splash in free agency.

GMU Steeler

01-03-2013, 11:47 PM

He did mention that they aren't doing the FA thing as much - I agree with you - seems like maybe Snyder is starting to get it just a little - and VOILA - division and home playoff game! Imagine that!

You know when I think about it hard. I think the turning point for Snyder had to be the Haynesworth debacle. Since then, I believe he's hired an actual GM.

The_Joker

01-04-2013, 10:37 AM

The Steelers and Patriots are good teams who have developed stars and bought some.

There, shut up already.

OliverPoop

01-05-2013, 11:03 PM

I don't follow the Pats. I was talking about the Steelers, who are known for building from within more than acquiring free agents to find success. I think that's something to be proud of as a Steelers fan.

Yes being cheap and complacent is something to be proud of.

harrison'samonster

01-06-2013, 10:21 AM

cheap? The Steelers pay money to players they want to invest in. For example, Roethlisberger, Harrison, Polamalu. I don't know why they don't invest in more big name Free Agents. I've always assumed that they don't want to risk paying big money to somebody who is only motivated to get that one big payday, and be worthless. That's not being cheap, they just don't use their money foolishly.

complacent? I'm not sure what you mean by that. I think this team is always looking to get better (especially after an 8-8 season).

OliverPoop

01-06-2013, 10:19 PM

cheap? The Steelers pay money to players they want to invest in. For example, Roethlisberger, Harrison, Polamalu. I don't know why they don't invest in more big name Free Agents. I've always assumed that they don't want to risk paying big money to somebody who is only motivated to get that one big payday, and be worthless. That's not being cheap, they just don't use their money foolishly.

complacent? I'm not sure what you mean by that. I think this team is always looking to get better (especially after an 8-8 season).

Maybe cheap might not be the right word.
In the Donahoe years the Steelers never resigned anybody. Now they have gone to the other extreme and resign too many mediocre players because they "know the system" supposedly. Trai Essex for example, or Lawrence Timmons, Lamar Woodley. Then they refuse to acknowledge that age is a factor with unrealistic expectations. And too complacent in free agency. The Front Office tries to act like they're drafts will provide them with the same quality of players as a couple free agents here and there.